Britbike forum Forums Events - meetings / rallies / rides Three state mountain ride forum 2010 Three State Mountian Ride AAR

I looked down and said "Wow, some trip!"

Every year it gets harder to end the experience and come home. There's so much to say but most has already been said many times.

After the minor repairs at the camp ground the bike ran great and got me home in her usual style and it was a nice ride home except for the last 150 miles when a strong cross wind popped up and got worse until it almost blew me off the bike.

I took around 500 pics, but some of the best ones may be lost due to a bad data card. I may have someone who can save some of them. let's hope. Somehow, they will be available for all to see soon.

I could go on about proving that I can ride like a normal person on the way out, or taking some personal credit for Jordon picking up a certain waitress for dinner, (you hear about that, Bob?) Or protecting the virtues of a certain cute redhead from an lecherous old yankee.

I'll have more to say when I get the pictures together but for now, just this.

Gordon, Ray, Mellisa and some others work very hard to put this together, but the real credit goes to all of you who may be the greatest group of people anywhere and are the reason I come out there every year.

(did I really just write that after all the harassment I get?)

Later.

yeah, uh, Gordon, It wasn't what I was looking at, It was trying to get away from those two deviant perverts

I'm going back to work tomorrow, out of town and I'm not sure when I will be back on line. So here's a few more pictures and probably the last you'll hear from me for awhile. ( yea I know..it's a good thing)

These were taken on our ride to Henry's bike shop in Kingsport TN. Just a little bike shop in a sorta small town. Been there a long time and for the most part...if it didn't sell, it's still hanging on the racks. We got to talk to the owner and his son...and they were a hoot.



Just some random shots through out the shop









I found a couple of almost complete BSA B44VRs in this pile



One of the bikes for sale



More random shots







I got plenty more...but I think you get the picture...pun in tended.

Well that's enough from me....I know there's a lot more out there and I'll sit back and enjoy the show...

Take care...Gordon Gray in NC, USA

Rich -

You may get a lot of harassment, and most of it well-deserved for all I know ....

but I will parenthetically insert in the midst of it all that I have a huge amount of respect for your riding abilities, and for your ability to "take it as it comes" and to handle whatever life throws you and still be Rich.

There's only a few people (and you were around most of them this week) who know what it really takes to prepare and ride and repair and maintain a 35 year old example of a 72-year-old design, and flog it back and forth across this country like you do. :bigt

Seeing you at Blowing Rock each year and hearing the tale of the ride is one of the high points of my season, and long may it wave!!

Now back to our regularly scheduled p!ss-taking .....

Lannis

Getting near the completion of my bike, Im already wanting another one after seeing all the really cool completed projects, maybe a BSA or Norton....The only way though, unfortunately, is if someone "gives" it to me, but stranger things have definitely happened...like my Triumph WAS basically given to me....Back to work tonight...YUK

Hey here is a link to Mine brother dave and Walters pics no order but ya'll can figure it out. http://rides.webshots.com/album/577775526seYsod Seeya

Mike Carter ... Oh yea if you go to my albums all but one of the 3 state rides are there..

Well reading thru this makes it a little easier to bear that I couldn't make this year. Thanks all for the pics. A few questions though.

1. WHERE are the pics of Commando CAT?
2. Did Richrd get his annual Blowing Rock Inn souvenir coffee cup?
3. HOW did you get Henry to let you into the 'upper room'? It took me 20 years to get a look up there.
4. Did we get the annual 'oil under the Buell' gag done?
5. How much humiliation does it take to get Prof. Whatley to 'RIDE 'em don't HIDE 'em'?

Sounds like you did the area well during the week, especially if you made it to the 'Devils Looking Glass'. Sounds like Windy created some great routes. He's almost to the point where the locals have stopped asking him 'ye ain't from around here are ye?
'

Bernie

P.S. Got the crank for the TR6 fixed, now gotta get some pennies together to buy parts for the overhaul. NOT MISSING AGAIN NEXT YEAR>

that's two years you've missed now, Bernie. We'll tolerate no more.

Commando was around, but a little subdued for some reason.

And as for the coffee cup, Melissa gave me one with a chip in it. But when I left it in the room, the maids picked it up. But that's all right, ones enough.

I'm just checking in...I finally have the laptop working but now I need to learn how to use it.

I got a call while we were heading to the Wheels Through Time that my company had some work for me...so just as soon as I broke the TSMR camp...I had to pack up and leave the house again.

Good news is...I'm finally working after 7 months...AND that means that I can keep my bikes...Bad news is...I'm stuck in a motel and can't work on them...or ride them.

I'm getting a house next week so I'll probably bring one back with me when I finally get to go home...in two weeks. The grass is going to be so darn high...it'll be like cutting hay. But I'm not complaining, I'm happy to have a job again.

If you've been trying to get in touch with me...just bare with me, I'm trying to get used to all of this.

Take care....yak at ya soon.....Gordon Gray in NC, USA

Hmm, wonder who could have been doing the subduing? All of us go "oh MAN, that's weird" when we first meet Commando Cat. Someone must have either freaked out or started breathing credible threats of mayhem if he showed his empty little head again ... ?

Lannis

Commando came and visited me early on, maybe it was Thursday evening, with a flashlight inside its head. Made him look like some banshee from a Stephen King dream. Weird.

Maybe that's why I was having nightmares.